Pakistan observes 86th death anniversary of Bhagat Singh

March 24, 2017

Lahore, Mar 24: The civil society members and academics in Pakistan have demanded a public apology from the British Queen for the “unjust killings” of Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev as the country marked their 86th death anniversary.

The main event was organised by the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation at Lahore’s Fawara Chowk yesterday where the three freedom fighters were hanged on March 23, 1931. Amid high security, the participants attended the memorial ceremony and urged the British Queen to visit Shadman Chowk and tender a public apology for the murder of the trio.

Adopting a resolution, the activists also demanded the Queen should apologise to India and Pakistan and to the families of the freedom fighters, besides paying pecuniary compensation for the “unjust killings.” The civil society members also held a candle light vigil to remember the sacrifices of the freedom fighters. Some descendants of Bhagat’s family, including Sardar Hakoomat Singh, Gurjit Dhat, Abhe Singh Sindhu, Kiran Jeet Singh and Sardar Sukhvendra Singh Sanga delivered telephonic speeches from Canada and India.

“We will not forget the courage and sacrifice of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his companion. Singh will be echoed against every imperialistic regime,” said Abdullah Malik, president of Bhagat Singh Foundation Pakistan. He criticised the Punjab government for not honouring the freedom fighters and not renaming Shadman Chowk as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk.

Foundation’s chairman Imtiaz Qureshi said people like Bhagat and his comrades were born in centuries and their great sacrifice would always be remembered. On the order of the Lahore High Court, the Lahore police provided security for the event which had faced threats from “religious extremists.”

Taran Geet Sing, Amir Sohail and other Sikh students also spoke on the occasion and paid rich tributes to freedom fighters. The Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum also held a separate function at the Dyal Singh Auditorium Lahore to pay tributes to the three freedom fighters. Forum’s director Ehsan Nadeem said the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh lit the candle of freedom that wiped out British colonialism.

Punjab University’s Dean of Social Sciences Iqbal Chawla said unlike Gandhi, founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah had supported Bhagat’s struggle and declared it was legal. “It was Maulana Zafar Ali Khan who in a poem declared Bhagat Singh a martyr. All this indicated Muslims’ love for Bhagat Singh and the Sikh community,” he said.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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India’s Tougher Pilot Fatigue Rules: Why IndiGo’s Operations Crashed Into Turbulence

News Network

December 6,2025

New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faced major operational turbulence this week after failing to prepare for new pilot-fatigue regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The stricter rules—designed to improve flight safety—took effect in phases through 2024, with the latest implementation on November 1. IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate roster planning led to widespread cancellations and delays.

Below are the key DGCA rules that affected IndiGo’s operations:

1. Longer Mandatory Weekly Rest

Weekly rest for pilots has been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours.

The government says the extended break is essential to curb cumulative fatigue. This rule remains in force despite the current crisis.

2. Cap on Night Landings

Pilots can now perform only two night landings per week—a steep reduction from the earlier limit of six.

Night hours, defined as midnight to early morning, are considered the least alert period for pilots.

Given the disruptions, this rule has been temporarily relaxed for IndiGo until February 10.

3. Reduced Maximum Night Flight Duty

Flight duty that stretches into the night is now capped at 10 hours.

This measure has also been kept on hold for IndiGo until February 10 to stabilize operations.

4. Weekly Rest Cannot Be Replaced With Personal Leave

Airlines can no longer count a pilot’s personal leave as part of the mandatory 48-hour rest.

Pilots say this closes a loophole that previously reduced actual rest time.

Currently, all airlines are exempt from this rule to normalise travel.

5. Mandatory Fatigue Monitoring

Airlines must submit quarterly fatigue reports along with corrective actions to DGCA.

This system aims to create a transparent fatigue-tracking framework across the industry.

The DGCA has stressed that these rules were crafted to strengthen flight safety and align India with global fatigue-management standards. The temporary relaxations are expected to remain until February 2025, giving IndiGo time to stabilise its schedules and restore normal air travel.

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